Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-09-24

"Lookm he went on, pointing to the statue
on which the moonlight played SO brightly.
"Thou seest that angel woman who rests her
hand upon the forehead of the sleeping man.
and thou seest how at her touch his soil
flames up and shines out through his flesh,
even as lamp at the touch of the fire; SO Is
it with me and thee, Nyleptha. Thou hast
awakened my soul and called it forth, and
now, Nyleptha, it is not mine, not mine but
thine, and thine only. There is no more for
me to say; in thy hands is my life" And he
leaned back against the pedestal of the
statue, looking very pale, and his eyes shin
ing, but proud and handsome as god.
Slowly, slowly she raised her head, and
fixed her wonderful eyes, all alight with the
greatness of her passion, full upon his face,
as though to read his very soul. Then at last
she spoke, low indeesi, but clearly as silver
bell:
"Of a truth, weak woman that | am, do
believe thee. Ill will be the day for thee, and
for me also, if it be my fate to learn that
have believed lie. And now hearken unto
me- man, who hath wandered here from far
to steal my heart and make me all thine own.
I put my hand upon thine hand thus, and
thus ], whose lips have never kissed before, do
kiss thee on the brow; and now by my hand,
and by that first and holy kiss, ay, by my
peoples veal and by my throne that like
enough l shall lose for thee, by the name of
my high house, by the sacred stone and by the
eternal majesty of the Sun, swear that for
thee will live and die. And l swear that
will love thee and thee only till death, ay,
and beyond-if as thou sayest, there be a be-
yond-and that thy will shall be my will, and
thy ways my ways.
"Oh, see, see, my lordl thou knowest not
how humble is she who loves; /, who am
queen, kneel before thee; even at thy feet
do my homage;" and the lovely impassioned
creature flung herself down en- her knees on
the cold marble before him. And after that
really do not know what happened, for l
could stand it no longer, and cleared Off to
refresh myself with little of old Umslopo-
gaas' society. leaving them to settle it their
own way, and a very long time they were
about it.
Some three-auarters of an hour afterward
the "pair of doves" came strolling toward us,
Curtis looking slightly silly, and Nyleptha re-
marking calmly that the moonlight made
very pretty effects on the marble Then, for
she was i'll a most gracious mood, she took my
hand and said that was cher lords" dear
friend, and therefore most dear to her-not a
word for my own sake, you see. Next she
lifted Umslopogaas' ak and examined itcuri-
ously, saying significantly as she did so that
he might soon have cause to use it in defense
of her.
After that she nodded prettily to us all, and
casting one tender glance at her lover, glided
OFF into the darkness like a beautiful vision.
When we got back TO our quarters, which
we did without accident Curtis asked me,
jocularly, what was thinking about.
II am wondering" answered, con what
principle it is arranged that some people
should find beautiful queens to fall in love
with them, while others find nobody at all,
or worse than nobody, and am also wonder
ing how many brave mems lives this nights
work will cost" 1t was rather nasty of me,
perhaps, but somehow all the feelings do not
evaporate with age, and could not help be-
ing little jealous of my old friends luck.
Vanity, my sons. vanity of vanities!
On the following morning Good was in
formed Of the happy occurrence, and posi-
lively rippled with smiles that, originating
somewhere about the mouth, slowly travelled
ND his face like the rings in duck pond,
till they flowed over the brim of his eyeglass
and went where sweet smiles 60. The fact of
the matter, however, was that not only was
Good rejoiced about the thing on its own
merits but also for personal reasons. He
adored Sorais quite as earnestly as Sir Henry
adored Nyleptha, and his alteration had not
altogether prospered. Indeed, it had seemed
co him and to mo also that the darl, Cleopatra
like queen favored Curtis in her own curious,
inscrutable way much more than Good.
Therefore it was q relief to him to learn that